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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24717175">lessons in deception</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ocearna/pseuds/Ocearna'>Ocearna</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Katekyou Hitman Reborn!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crossdressing, Gen, I blame Rosie and Kuroshitsuji, No beta we die like illiterates, plot is an excuse for arcobaleno silliness, reader prompt fill!, set at some nebulous point in the future post-manga</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 00:55:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,706</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24717175</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ocearna/pseuds/Ocearna</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A couple of years post-Curse, the Arcobaleno suddenly all decide Tsuna needs lessons in the art of disguises. Tsuna is confused and embarrassed but goes along with it anyway. </p><p>The Arcobaleno totally don't have an ulterior motive. Nope, definitely not... And hey, look, the lessons turned out to be useful anyway!</p><hr/><p>Prompt fill for Rosie from <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23558731/comments/295503160">this comment thread!</a> (spoilers, though the tags are spoilery anyway...)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>228</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Reborn</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I'm going to attempt to do the smart thing and post this a chapter a day or something, to tide you all over while I finish other things. apologies if I forget a day. I have 6 of the ~8 sections done, so at least finishing this shouldn't take me much longer. and, since the first section is so very short, I'm gonna be nice and post two chapters straight away. :P</p><p>I haven't written the Arcobaleno much before, but this has been floating in the back of my mind since Rosie suggested it and writing <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24625798">family</a> recently was really fun so... I guess I enjoy writing the Arcobaleno now XD </p><p>enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The first time it happens Tsuna doesn’t think anything of it because, well, it’s Reborn. At this point, Tsuna gets worried if Reborn </span>
  <em>
    <span>isn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> causing chaos and trying to embarrass Tsuna at least twice a day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dame-Tsuna, it’s time to start your lessons in the art of disguises.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna glances up from his desk-full of paperwork to watch Reborn close the door to his office and saunter closer. It’s been a couple of years since the Arcobaleno curse was broken and Reborn now looks about eighteen, but he still looks as menacing as ever. Especially with the evil smirk he is currently wearing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Tsuna asks, warily watching Reborn approach the couches off to one side of his office. He’s especially worried about the long garment bags Reborn has folded over one arm and the box he’s carrying with the other. “What is that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Patience, Dame-Tsuna,” Reborn chides as he turns his back to Tsuna and starts unpacking whatever he brought with him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unable to see what Reborn is doing because he’s oh-so-carefully keeping his body between Tsuna and whatever he’s messing with, Tsuna steps out from behind his desk and moves closer, curious. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then regrets </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything</span>
  </em>
  <span> when he gets close enough to realise just what Reborn has brought with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hieee, Reborn, is that a wig? And a </span>
  <em>
    <span>dress!?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Mammon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Mammon is the next one to turn up; just appearing out of a rip in space one day. The Mist seems to have grown the most of any of the ex-Arcobaleno, having seemingly grown to their full adult height. Though it was a little hard to tell with the cloak they favoured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How can I help you, Mammon…?” Tsuna asks hesitatingly. He doesn’t bother with pleasantries because he knows Mammon would charge him for wasting their time, but Mammon doesn’t usually just drop by. At least, not without being dragged along by Xanxus or Bel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mou, I heard Reborn is teaching you how to disguise yourself as a woman. He may be good at costumes and using his Sun to blind people to the truth, but you can’t use his tricks to make people actually believe it. I can teach you to move and act correctly. For a fee, of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna stares, uncomprehending for a moment, then blushes bright red. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hieeeee, where did you hear that!? Who told you???” he screeches, hiding his face in his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mammon tuts and drifts closer in that slightly-creepy way they have - not actually floating, just moving extremely smoothly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hear everything, Vongola Decimo. Do you accept my offer?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna gulps and forces his panic to the back of his mind so he can actually consider what Mammon is offering. He’s pretty sure that Reborn started teaching him how to… crossdress (the embarrassment threatens to rise again and he pushes it back down) just to get a rise out of him but… he can see the uses. Even in the Mafia - and sometimes especially in the Mafia - people tend to underestimate women. He knows enough dangerous women to know how useful that can be, both for hearing things they shouldn’t and for getting into places they shouldn’t be able to get into. And Tsuna’s face is extremely well known, especially with his similarity to Primo, so it’s almost impossible for him to go unrecognised. Crossdressing is maybe a rather… extreme way of disguising himself, but if it works…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would you teach me?” He asks Mammon, then remembers to add: “And how much would it cost?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mammon shrugs, a slight and elegant lift of one shoulder, and glides closer. “Men and women tend to have different body language - and what differs can change according to their personality and environment. I can teach you the differences and who would use what habits when, and how to change your body language enough that you could pass as a woman. Or at least how to walk the line between masculine and feminine, so that people will draw their own conclusions based on other clues like your clothes. It might also help you learn how to intimidate or soothe someone, or how to recognise those tricks when someone else is using them. As for my price…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a pause, then Mammon names a rather high amount. Tsuna blanches, but it’s only a bit more than what he had expected, and the extra benefits Mammon had listed do sound useful. He hums, considering it for another moment and trying to spot any traps, but his Intuition seems happy so he sighs and, face still slightly red, agrees. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>next on my list is either overcast skies or an idea about tsuna and motorbikes or an idea about xanxus and kittens. any votes? ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Skull</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Next is Skull, about a week after Mammon’s third lesson in body language. Tsuna feels that the lessons are going pretty well, even discovering he rather likes heeled boots (because he was still relatively short, damn it), though Mammon complains that he is leaning on his Intuition too much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, Tsuna had expected Mammon to keep news of their lessons to themselves. Therefore, when Skull comes bounding into his suite one evening after dinner, Tsuna’s panic about how Skull got through security comes to a screeching stop as he realises what Skull is actually saying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“--and Mammon was complaining that your Intuition is a cheat and it took a lot of pestering but eventually the Great Skull-sama convinced Mammon to explain about the lessons, so now Skull-same is here to teach you about makeup!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait--” Tsuna stutters, his brain still catching up. “Mammon told you </span>
  <em>
    <span>what?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Skull turns to blink at Tsuna from where he had taken over Tsuna’s dresser, unloading the bagful of… something that he had brought with him. Then he grins and negligently flaps a hand at Tsuna.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mammon might be a great information broker, but they’re nothing in the face of the Great Skull-sama’s interrogation techniques!” he crows, posing with his hands on his hips and breaking into a loud laugh at the end.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna groans and rubs his temples, second-guessing his lessons with Mammon for probably the twentieth time. But as always, he then remembers that really this all started with Reborn and that there’s no point in blaming Reborn because that will just get him some torturous “training” session, so he shoves his misgivings to the back of his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And… what are you doing here, again?” Tsuna asks, trying to get his brain back on track.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In answer, Skull holds up an array of brushes and pencils, a bright and slightly manic smile on his face. “Makeup!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna freezes, blushes and then tries to argue. But compared to the dresses Reborn had made him try on - in several different styles, apparently to acclimate him to the differences - makeup isn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> embarrassing. And Hayato wears eyeliner sometimes - he knows because Chrome had commented on it once, and Hayato had blushed for </span>
  <em>
    <span>hours</span>
  </em>
  <span> - and of course Skull is rarely without makeup so Tsuna no longer considers makeup to be a girls-only thing. Plus, Skull is right about it going well with Reborn and Mammon’s lessons. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Skull stays until almost midnight, teaching Tsuna various tricks. Tsuna only pokes himself in the eye twice, learns that his least favourite part is actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>removing </span>
  </em>
  <span>makeup and discovers that Skull is actually very passionate about it all, which makes his excitement to be teaching someone else very infectious. When Skull leaves, Tsuna is almost surprised at how much he enjoyed hanging out for the Cloud and at how much he’s looking forward to the next lesson.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Fon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>By the time Fon turns up in Tsuna’s office, carrying a large, ornate, wooden box, Tsuna has resigned himself to the fact that the ex-Arcobaleno are apparently massive gossips, at least amongst themselves. Tsuna just sighs and gestures to the couches set up to one side of his office, calling the kitchens to tell them he has a guest for lunch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Always a gentleman, Fon starts with pleasantries, even as he unpacks the wooden box which turns out to contain a very traditional tea set, and a few other, smaller wooden boxes. By the time he has laid them all out on the coffee table and they have discussed various polite topics - I-Pin and other mutual acquaintances, a few recent Mafia and Triads events - Fon has poured them both tea and their lunch has been delivered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They fall into silence while they eat, which unfortunately only drives Tsuna’s nerves higher. Once they are both finished - Tsuna carefully pacing himself to match Fon’s methodical eating - Fon prepares another round of tea and then sits back, his gaze contemplating.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Much as I appreciate the tea, Fon, why did you decide to visit?” Tsuna finally asks, unable to stand the silence any longer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fon smiles his polite, serene smile and takes a sip of his tea before answering. “I heard that you are receiving lessons in a certain method of disguising yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna groans, letting his head flop back into the headrest of the couch. “I swear you Arcobaleno are the biggest gossips.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fon’s smile grows into a grin that he quickly hides behind his cup. “When one is stuck in such a unique situation for as long as we were, one tends to form quite strong bonds with those few who share the experience. Bonds such as those do not fade quickly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna rubs at his temple, taking a second to parse the Storm’s double-speak. “By which you mean the only people you really talked to for the duration of the Curse were the other Arcobaleno, so of course you’re used to telling each other things you wouldn’t usually tell people. And that’s hasn’t stopped because the Curse was broken.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fon just hummed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what?” Tsuna asked, staring at Fon. “You heard about what the others are teaching me, and… Oh no.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna blanched, suddenly realising where this was going, based on his recent encounters with the other ex-Arcobaleno. Fon’s polite smile slid back into place, but Tsuna could swear he saw mischief in the Storm’s eyes as he placed his teacup back on the table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I believe Reborn is teaching you how to dress like a woman, Skull is teaching you about makeup and Mammon is teaching you body language. It is a good basis for a female disguise, however, there are two other skills which I believe I could teach you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shaking his head in denial, Tsuna spluttered out: “I-- Thank you, Fon, really, but I don’t need any more lessons. I already don’t know when I’m going to use any of this knowledge, I’m sure there’s no point in, uh, taking up any of your time--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nonsense,” Fon quietly interjected, crossing his arms and slipping his hands into his sleeves. “There are many benefits to being able to disguise oneself as the opposite gender, especially for someone as well-known and powerful as yourself. And learning how to recognise such disguises can help you avoid some of the better assassins who might come after you, Vongola Decimo.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fon’s smile had disappeared partway through his explanation, leaving his face to fall into a much more serious expression than what Tsuna was used to seeing on the Storm. It was that which settled his nerves and chased away his embarrassment. After all, Fon usually only got serious when something was very important to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Tsuna sighed. “What did you want to teach me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna almost regretted his agreement - and wondered whether Fon’s seriousness had just been a ploy - when Fon explained that he wanted to teach Tsuna about suitable conversation topics and </span>
  <em>
    <span>hairstyles</span>
  </em>
  <span>. When Tsuna asked how on earth he knew such things, Fon just replied that between I-Pin and his many female relatives he had been picked up a lot over the years and that the Mafia and the Triads weren’t too dissimilar in these aspects. Which Tsuna thought didn’t really explain it, but Fon was too adept at changing the subject for Tsuna to get any more information out of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It turned out the smaller boxes Fon had brought were full of samples of materials and perfumes and other such things that he thought Tsuna would need to be able to recognise and talk about, plus some strings with which he could learn to braid. When Fon left a few hours later, Tsuna’s head was swimming with facts about things he hadn’t even known existed, but he was also surprisingly relaxed. It turned out that repeatedly braiding Fon’s hair while they spoke - once Tsuna had managed to braid the practice strings a couple of times without tangling them - was rather soothing.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Lal</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>figuring out how to fit Lal into this was the hardest part tbh. this works with my headcanon of Lal becoming the hardass older sister type to Tsuna though, so eh. also, c'mon, you can't tell me Lal wouldn't have boots like these...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Lal appears in his office, barging through the door without knocking, Tsuna doesn’t even try to turn her away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you come to teach me something too?” he asks with a sigh, already moving towards the couches to inspect the duffel bags she had dumped there and started digging through. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lal grunts an affirmative, grabbing a bundle of material from one of the duffels and throwing it at him without even looking up. “If you’re going to disguise yourself as a woman, someone has to teach you how to make the most of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna just stares, his brain not able to follow at all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And that means…?” he finally asks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lal turns to glare at him for a moment, then glances pointedly at the material he is still clutching. “Put that on,” she orders, then throws another thing from the other duffel at him. “And this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His brain starting to catch up, Tsuna shakes out the bundle she first threw at him. Then whimpers when it unfolds into a long, black dress - the sleeveless kind with a slit up one side that Reborn has forced him into once before and that he hates. Carefully he folds it over one arm - because who knows what Lal would do to him if he damages one of her (??) dresses - and holds up the other item to inspect it too. Thankfully it’s just a knife holster of some kind, though even Tsuna can tell it’s meant for a very slim knife. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna’s embarrassed panic and subsequent freezing into place is broken by Lal barking, “Hurry up!” at him, complete with a deadly glare. “I don’t have all day and we have quite a few things to get through.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here?” Tsuna squeaks, glancing around his office for something to change behind, even though he knows there isn’t anything. “Now!?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lal just sighs and continues rooting through the duffel bags, slowly making various piles of clothes and holsters and weapons on the couch. “Yes, now. You don’t have anything I haven’t seen before. And I won’t turn around until you tell me you’re decent, alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna would protest more on principle but… he trusts Lal and his Intuition isn’t worried, so instead, he just sighs and turns his back as well, to give himself an illusion of privacy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lal stays true to her word and only turns when he gives her permission - though in a very squeaky voice as his nerves threaten to overwhelm him - and is very perfunctory as she explains how best to walk and position the knife holster to hide it, and then how to access it quickly. The process is repeated with several other outfits - including a ballgown, a miniskirt and a padded bra, which had been mortifying - and various other weapons, and slowly Tsuna’s embarrassment disappears as he concentrates on the lesson. Lal is a good teacher and it’s obvious that she’s taught this kind of thing before, which Tsuna finds surprisingly calming. He can also see how a lot of what she’s teaching him can be applied to other contexts too, and it makes him almost excited to surprise Reborn with his new weapons knowledge someday soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The best part though happens when Lal is just about to leave. The last outfit had included some chunky boots with a small heel - not particularly feminine or masculine, but potentially either - which had a retractable blade in the heel that could be activated by stamping your foot a certain way. Tsuna had been about to unlace them when he’d heard a gruff, “Keep the boots.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna twisted to stare at Lal’s back where she was stuffing clothes and weapons and holsters back into their respective duffel bags. “Really?” he asks after a moment. Then he realises just what she has offered and splutters, “I-- I couldn’t! These are so fancy and they probably cost an arm and a leg and I couldn’t--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keep ‘em,” Lal barks again. “They’ll just be gathering dust in a cupboard otherwise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna glances down at the boots - shiny and fairly new looking but definitely not dusty - then back at Lal, ready to argue. But then he sees the tightness in her back and the stubborn set of her shoulders, and he deflates, a small smile appearing on his face. “Thanks, Lal.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Reborn pt. 2 (and The Plan)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The first time Tsuna actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>uses</span>
  </em>
  <span> his new skills, he’s terrified. Reborn had come up with the plan and Tsuna had seen him smirking enough to know that it’s partly to embarrass Tsuna. But… it’s also logical. Someone has been subtly attacking Vongola businesses - just the small, barely-connected, mostly-legal ones - and it had been done well enough that it took them a while to notice </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> they’re having trouble tracking down who is doing it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There are other possible plans of course but… they all rely on another attack happening and the Vongola being able to recognise it quicker than the previous times, before the perpetrators can cover their tracks. It might even take a couple of attacks before they would be able to get any useful information. And Tsuna can’t stand the thought of his people suffering like that when there’s another option, even if it’s personally embarrassing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That other option involves attending a Mafia society party. Chrome and Mukuro had… extracted from a spy they discovered earlier in the week that these particular monthly parties, organised by a certain group of Mafia wives, were being used to hand-off information from the spies to those who were organising the attacks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As soon as attending the party had been suggested as a plan, Tsuna’s Guardians had immediately started arguing about who should go and whether it was safe and whether their presence would scare off the enemy. But Reborn had just smirked and called out, “Tsuna will go. In disguise, so they don’t panic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna had frozen, staring blankly at Reborn as his brain stuttered to a stop, knowing exactly what the Sun was suggesting. His Guardians had paused in their bickering for a moment, some startled and some considering, before bursting out into even louder questions. Hayato and Ryohei were yelling about putting Tsuna in danger, Takeshi was alternatively trying to calm them and subtly question Reborn’s thinking, Hibari was glaring and Mukuro and Chrome were… trading suspicious glances?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Even if we decide that Tsuna should go,” Mukuro cut in, using some trick to project his voice over the ruckus the others were causing, “how do you suppose we would get an invite? The guest list is mostly famiglias that aren’t part of the Vongola alliance, so finding someone we trust to tag along with will be… difficult.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reborn lifted his hand from his pocket to reveal his Leon-phone, flashing the screen at them along with a grin. “Already sorted. Colonnello has a standing invite due to his affiliation with Mafia Island. Plus, most people consider him neutral so his presence shouldn’t scare anyone off.” Reborn cast a glance around the room, his gaze heavy, before settling on Tsuna. “Any objections?” he asked, obviously daring anyone - and particularly Tsuna - to contradict him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna just gulped and shook his head.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Colonnello (and The Party)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>tenses are hard &gt;&lt; pretty sure they're all over the place here, sorry! </p>
<p>we're almost done with this story o.o</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Surprisingly - to Tsuna at least - the party went well. Skull and Fon had appeared at headquarters the afternoon before it, Skull with his usual makeup bag (lighter than it used to be since Tsuna now owned quite a few of the basics) and Fon with hair extensions, of all things. The dress Reborn handed Tsuna was a floor-length, flowy, black thing with a high lace collar to hide his adam’s apple and puffy lace sleeves that made his arms look thinner than they were. Somehow it also gave him the illusion of a smaller waist and wider hips, and of course, it had fake pockets that allowed him to easily reach the knives strapped to his thighs - a gift from Lal that Colonnello brought with him. It was even long enough to mostly cover the boots Lal had given him, which convinced Reborn to let him wear them despite them not suiting the more delicate style of the dress.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The overall effect was… stunning. With long hair tamed into an elaborate updo complete with hairpins, a full face of makeup and a flowy dress, Tsuna didn’t recognise himself at all when he caught his reflection in the mirror. He even poked himself in the cheek to check he wasn’t dreaming - then had to deal with Skull scolding him for touching his makeup.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Somehow Tsuna and Colonnello managed to leave headquarters without running into any of Tsuna’s Guardians, escaping into the unmarked limo waiting out the front for them. They spent the ride inventing a backstory - where Tsuna had come from, why nobody had heard of him, and how he and Colonnello had met. Tsuna had already decided to go by “Nadeshiko” since Mammon had suggested using a name that embodied the personality he wanted to project. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the drive progressed, Tsuna slipped more and more into the persona of Nadeshiko, slowly changing his posture and his voice and his mannerisms. By the time they reached the party, Colonnello had praised Tsuna a couple of times for how well he was pulling it off. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, Tsuna’s acting wasn’t anywhere near perfect. He suspected that if they were in Japan someone would see through his act immediately. But as Colonnello reminded him, they were in Italy. Tsuna’s mannerisms, although slowly becoming more Italian, were still very Japanese. Colonnello believed that most people at the party would likely blame any oddness on him being foreign and not look any further. And anyone who did realise was likely to keep it to themselves because, well, the Mafia was too used to Mist tricks to find such things overly concerning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Arriving at the venue for the party had kicked Tsuna’s nerves into high gear but with Colonnello beside him radiating Rain Flames, Tsuna managed to not make a fool of himself. He carefully played the quiet, shy lady - pulling inspiration from Nana and Chrome and Kyoko when he wasn’t sure what to do - until he could slip away from Colonnello with the excuse of finding a drink. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A glass of champagne in hand, Tsuna moved away from the crowd and into the shadows along the walls, trying to pretend he was just one of the other attendees who were looking for a break from the noise and chaos of the party. In reality, he was carefully looking over the crowds with his Intuition dialled up to maximum, trying to spot anyone suspicious. Or more suspicious than usual for a Mafia party anyway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Almost an hour later, just as Tsuna was worrying that the exchange had happened before he could get set up, his Intuition flared. He found his eyes drifting to a group of men, gathered in a circle a bit out of the main cluster of people, who were talking quietly to a waiter. It almost looked like they were just taking a while to place orders or something, but with his senses boosted by his Sky Flames, Tsuna could see through the ripple of Mist Flames that hid them. It was almost like having double vision - watching the waiter write down orders while also seeing him tear several pages out of his notebook and hand them to one of the men. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsuna made a note of all their faces and their Flame signatures as he starting making his way towards the group. He made sure to weave and stumble slightly as he walked and went via the buffet, “clumsily” grabbing several serviettes to go with the mini pie he had picked up. He also grabbed another glass of champagne from a passing waiter, gulping down half of it as he tottered towards the group of men. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A couple of the group had drifted away while Tsuna had picked his way across the room, including the waiter, but the man who had been handed the papers was still there, discussing something with his compatriots. The Mist construct had also disappeared, the men obviously having relaxed now that the transaction was over, which made it easy for Tsuna to spread his Flames around them - not enough to be noticeable by most people, but enough for Tsuna to be able to tweak their perceptions slightly into Harmony with what he wanted them to see.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just a few steps from the group, Tsuna calls out, “Darling! Did you--” to get their attention and then promptly trips in the direction of the man with the papers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Surprised and already half-turned towards Tsuna, his target instinctively reaches out to catch him as he falls. Which works out perfectly for Tsuna, as he lets go of the glass of champagne and watches it splash beautifully against the man’s shirt and jacket. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh no!” Tsuna cries out, trying to do his best surprised-and-sorry voice. “I’m sorry, I thought-- and I didn’t mean to trip but--” Tsuna rights himself - with a carefully added wobble - and starts frantically patting at the man’s front with the napkins he had picked up earlier. “Please, here, let me-- I’m so sorry--” he rambles, then switches to Japanese so he can continue to mutter to himself without having to think as hard about the words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man’s companions watch on in either amusement or annoyance - or something in between - as his brain catches up and he starts trying to dissuade Tsuna from frantically trying to “help”. He mutters assurances that it’s fine, he doesn’t blame Tsuna for it and that he can sort out the mess by himself just fine. Tsuna argued a bit to make his act more realistic but eventually subsides. “I really am sorry,” he says, one last time. “I mistook you for someone else and, well. But I’ll, uh, I’ll go find them now. I hope you have a… pleasant evening.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsuna strides away, hopefully hiding his desire to flee behind this mask of embarrassment. He heads almost directly to the other side of the room, making sure the crowd blocks any attempts to watch him by the group of men, then ducks behind a pillar. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Only a few deep breaths later, Colonnello appears at his side, grinning like a fool. “Seems like you’ve had a bit too much to drink, kora,” he says. “Maybe I should escort you home?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Straightening up from where he had slumped against the pillar, Tsuna nods carefully and reaches out to take Colonnello’s arm again. “Yes, that might be best.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Only a couple of people accost them on their way out, and when Colonnello hints at Tsuna’s “state” they let him go quickly. By the time they’re outside their limo is waiting for them, and Colonnello pretends to help Tsuna into it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite the heavily tinted windows, neither relax until they’re several minutes away from the venue and they have both checked that the driver is who it should be. Then Tsuna finally lets the nerves he’s been avoiding bubble up, and he collapses against the seat in a fit of relieved laughter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Colonnello just watches him with a grin, passing over a bottle of water from the limo’s fridge when Tsuna finally calms down. “Well done, kora!” he exclaims, grinning ear to ear. “The tripping and the glass of champagne is a classic for a reason. Did you get what you wanted though, kora?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsuna grins and fishes a bundle of paper out of the tiny clutch purse he had been carrying around all evening. The outer sheets are napkins, but between them lie the papers he had stolen. “The idiot put the info in his breast pocket,” Tsuna explains with a grin, “so I just made a fuss of “cleaning” his shirt and switched them out for some napkins with a sleight of hand trick Reborn taught me. He’ll probably notice the difference fairly soon but we should be far enough away by then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chuckling at the stupidity of some mafioso, Colonnello relaxes back into his seat with a beer from the limo’s fridge. “I’m glad it worked, kora,” he mutters. “And I hope that information is enough to shut them down. Going after the small businesses as they have isn’t how these things should be done, kora.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That reminds me…” Tsuna mutters with a frown. “I meant to ask earlier: this won’t damage your reputation as a neutral enforcer or anything, will it? I know how much Mafia Island means to you…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Colonnello stared at his drink for a moment, his expression pensive. Then he looked up, locking gazes with Tsuna, and smiled. Not the wide, happy grin that he usually used but a smaller, more sincere smile. “It’s fine, kora. Even if something does happen, it was for a good cause, kora. And if I was going to ally myself with anyone, you would be one of my first choices. Besides,” he adds, as his grin widens into something more wicked, “if anyone asks, I can always claim I didn’t know what you were going to do. Obviously I got conned by your pretty face, and was just being used for my invitation to the party, kora.” And then he </span>
  <em>
    <span>winked</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tsuna stared at the Rain for a moment, baffled and tired after such a long and nerve-racking day, then groaned, letting his head flop back against the seat as his face went red. Colonnello just laughed at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyone who thinks that obviously doesn’t know about you and Lal,” Tsuna muttered back, trying desperately to change the topic. And it worked - though Tsuna suspected that was more due to Colonnello deciding to cut him a break - as the Arcobaleno brightened and started rambling about something or other Lal had done recently. Tsuna relaxed as he listened, letting the chatter and Colonnello’s Rain Flames wash over him and lull him into a light sleep.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Verde (and The Reason)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Two days after the party, Verde suddenly appears in Tsuna’s office with several scarily high-tech looking machines following him - either under their own power or carried by various robots. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna quickly stands and moves around his desk, not wanting to be trapped in his chair for whatever Verde wants. But the machines just whir over and set themselves up in a circle around where he stands, immediately starting to beep and whine and flash various coloured lights at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>What</span>
  </em>
  <span> is this?” Tsuna asks, tone unimpressed but also rather resigned as his right arm is held aloft by one of the machines.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m analysing your ambient fiamma voltage,” Verde responds distractedly, not lifting his gaze from the tablet he is holding, “to compare your current level to your normal baseline, to check for any complications caused by the additional drain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna’s mouth opens and shuts a couple of times, trying to decide which part of that statement to address first. In the end, he decided to just go in order and hope Verde’s responses didn’t prompt too many more questions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does that mean you’ve scanned me before?” he asks first. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verde frowns slightly at the interruption, glancing up at Tsuna for a brief moment. “Of course. I took readings the last three times you were laid up in the medical wing. Additionally, I have data from some of your battles. The difference in your output between stressful and non-stressful situations is quite interesting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Deciding to leave aside the questions that answer raises, Tsuna asks his second - and more worrying - question: “What did you mean by ‘additional drain’?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time Verde looks up for several seconds, his eyes narrowed in thought. Then he hums an, “Ah,” and goes back to watching the data roll in. “They didn’t tell you,” he states, as if that answers everything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now even more confused, and starting to get annoyed at the poking and prodding and bright lights in his eyes from Verde’s machines, Tsuna snaps, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Who</span>
  </em>
  <span> didn’t tell me </span>
  <em>
    <span>what?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“The other Arcobaleno,” Verde replies, and despite that fact he’s trying to look unconcerned, his voice is gaining the haughty tone he so often gets. “I have been tracking everyone’s growth since the Curse was broken, and I discovered that Reborn and Mammon were aging the fastest, followed by Lal. Based on that and information about their individual circumstances, I proposed a hypothesis that exposure to a powerful Sky - even just to the Flames they tend to constantly leak under normal circumstances - helps speed up the aging process. After all,” Verde continues, smirking as he looks up at Tsuna over his glasses, “Mammon is bonded to Xanxus of the Varia, Lal works with your father Iemitsu, and Reborn gets almost daily exposure to you as your tutor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tsuna just stares, his Intuition finally kicking in and giving him the hint he needs to put all the pieces together. “Are you saying… that being around a Sky helps the Arcobaleno age faster?” he finally asks his voice echoing his disbelief and growing anger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Verde answers, now looking very amused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you told them this?” Tsuna asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verde’s grin grows and his tone somehow gets even more obnoxious. “Of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then--” Tsuna chokes out. “All the… coming here uninvited, and the-- the </span>
  <em>
    <span>lessons</span>
  </em>
  <span> and--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Verde hums, pushing his glasses back into place as he pretends to go back to reading whatever his tablet is telling him. “I believe Reborn had some kind of plan, and then the others decided to join in. Of course, I stayed away as to be the control group. The others seemed quite keen on whatever idea they had though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There is silence for a moment and then, loud and angry and carried throughout the whole building by pissed-off Sky Flames, everyone hears, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“REBORN!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>On the other side of the building, sitting comfortably in a plush lounge chair, said hitman just grins and takes another sip of his espresso.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>...it's done o.o deception is a rather short multi-chapter fic in the grand scheme of things, but it's still the longest multi-chapter I've finished in... many, many years so... this is an odd feeling. very, very good, but still kinda odd. XD </p><p>I hope you've all enjoyed this as much as I've enjoyed writing it! I've never really written about the Arcobaleno much, so this was both fun and educational. thank you again to Rosie who gave me this idea a good couple months ago, and to everyone on twitter who has been keeping my interest in writing khr fic (and generally being in the fandom) alive despite how flaky I usually am ^^;; </p><p>next up: hopefully Overcast. although, since I'm struggling with that because of Yamamoto's characterisation, I'm very much open to Yamamoto-centric prompts right now, if anyone has any... ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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